Frozen Heart
by HisStory-Repeatz
Summary: Walking the dark alleys on the streets of Konoha, marked a change for the you protaganist. His heart beating readily as his legs moved him out of harms way, only to be paralyzed by something out of this world. Who knew that these things could change the Naruto-verse forever. Slightly grey Naruto, No-Pairing as of yet. M rated just to be sure
1. Prologue

**Frozen Heart**

**Hi guys, this is a first for me in writing stories. I can't say that I'm good at it, but an idea was stuck in my head, so I thought that I'd exploit it.**

**Naruto is slightly grey in this story and it has elements of Killer Instinct. **

**Hope that you enjoy and hit me up with some reviews and let me know how it is. I'm only writing for fun... Nothing too serious.**

**Oh I don't own Naruto or Killer Instinct**

**Enjoy**

**Prologue**

It was a normal summer night in Hi no Kuni. With the Easterly breeze drifting through and cooling the place. The moon was shining bright and illuminating the Village of Konoha as the wind would rustle the leaves of the large trees and scatter many to the ground. The sky was illuminated with stars and consternations, but to the North, dark thunder clouds could be seen rolling through; lightening crackling as it rolled ever so slowly, closer and closer to Konoha.

Although that was the case, it was still as hot as the day. Especially for one overzealous young child dressed in ragged, ripped and dirty clothes. He was wondering the streets looking for a place to sleep. He had just got thrown out of the orphanage where he lived and told he had to fend for himself. The boy was only seven years old, but that didn't stop the orphanage from kicking him out. Now he had nowhere to go.

The young boy had bright blue eyes that shone in the night; atop his head was a mop of golden blonde hair. On his face were three whisker marks reminding everyone around him of whom, no of what he was? This was the young Uzumaki Naruto, the Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune.

Today was the day before his birthday, and like last year, he knew the possibility of what might happen. He was afraid, afraid of what the people would do to him if they saw him on his birthday. He could go and see the kind old man, but decided against it. Besides, he didn't really know where the old man stayed, so it wouldn't make much difference.

Just as the child was walking through the red-light district, he heard someone scream. With the scream came back memories and with the memories came the fear. So in his fear stricken state, adrenaline started pumping throughout his veins. That caused him to start running as fast as he could in an unknown direction. He didn't stop running til he was well outside the walls of Konoha. With the adrenaline slowly fading away, Naruto slowed his dash to a jog and from there completely stop. He was alone in a forest with nothing but trees surrounding him. He tried to find a way to get out of the trees, his eyes fixed on a clearing ahead.

As he reached the clearing he noticed that in the middle was a strange metal object. The earth around the object looked as if it crashed, causing a ripple of trees and earth which extended from the point of impact. This was something his mind saw as fun and explore-able, and with his young and eager mind made up, he slowly crept towards the object. As he was about to reach it, a large piece of the metal fell off, revealing that it was a huge door opening with some light shining from within. The light itself wasn't what kept Naruto rooted to the spot, no it was the seven foot monster staring at him with glowing dark blue eyes. In his shock, Naruto forgot to breathe. With the lack of oxygen to the brain, the adrenaline having worn off and the surprise and fear deeply embedded in his mind there was only one coping mechanism which his body could deploy, and with that, it shut down and he fainted.

Stirring in his sleep, Naruto slowly opened his eyes. Trying to determine where he was and how he got there. What he saw were white walls with a white ceiling. The room smelt strongly of antiseptic and a hint of tobacco. Looking to his left he saw the old man who would visit him at the orphanage some days.

"How are you feeling Naruto?" asked the old man with a hint of concern. "Do you remember who I am and how you got here?" '_Of course he doesn't Hiruzen, he was passed out_' the old Hokage thought.

"W-ww-wwwell" Naruto gulped, swallowing nothing but dry spit, whilst at the same time, turning as white as a ghost from the shock of what he had seen. The Hokage, seeing his state of disarray, tried to calm him to the best of his abilities. But with the slightest touch of his skin, left the Hokage grasping at how cool and velvety it felt. Looking at Naruto, he saw the boy slightly shivering, but had a feeling that it had more to do with shock as opposed to being cold.

"Naruto, Naruto… Calm down Naruto. Take a deep breath. In through the nose and out through the mouth." Spoke the Hokage. Naruto hearing the encouraging words started listening to what the Hokage was saying. What Naruto didn't know was that the Hokage weaved a small Genjutsu to get Naruto to relax.

"Well, I-I ddd-don't know how I got here. All I remember was running from the place, and into the forest. There I-I f-ffou-found s-ss-something." Here Naruto starting shaking again. The Hokage started to weave the Genjutsu again and Naruto calmed down.

"It was something metal, something huge. And then it opened and out stepped..." Before Naruto could answer however, he passed out again. The Hokage looked at the scene with some sorrow before trying to shake the boy awake. The Sandaime felt the presence of someone else in the room, right before Naruto was going to say what he saw, so he put the boy in a sleep induced Genjutsu. The Hokage knew that whoever was there, wasn't a part of his normal ANBU entourage, nor was it anyone that he knew. With that, the Hokage let the boy rest. He was still uncertain of how the boy came to be passed out in the middle of the forest in what looked like a large hole. A group of ANBU on patrol found him and brought him straight to the Hospital, while the other called for the Hokage.

There was no mention of anything metal, or of any other being around the vicinity. With those last thoughts the Hokage left the boy to rest, but not before finding the hidden ROOT operative and assassinating him in a ruthless manner. The old man was tired, but work still needed to be done to ensure that the village was always protected. First though, were the memories which the boy had? He needed a Yamanaka to seal his memories to ensure that Naruto will never feel vulnerable and alone again. Then he would need a new place to stay, considering how the mistress of the orphanage _disappeared_ during the night.

* * *

Naruto awoke the next day fresh and happy. He looked at the old man next to him and screamed "Good morning Jiji" the old man looked back with a huge smile, glad that the boy was in high spirits in contrast to his mood the previous day. "Good morning Naruto, how are you feeling?"

Naruto smiled, "Well I feel good. Ne, Jiji… Why am I in the hospital? Did something bad happen to me? How did I get here?" With these questions, the old man put on a sombre face and spoke. "Sorry Naruto, you were homeless in the streets. The lady at the orphanage has been missing for the past three days. My ANBU found you passed out in an alley; you had been hurt, but nothing extreme. You also looked half-starved and dehydrated." The old Hokage spoke, causing Naruto to go quiet for a bit.

"Ne Jiji, where am I going to stay?" Naruto asked in a depressed monotone. The Hokage smiled slightly and brightened when asked the question. "Well, I do have a set of keys just for you with your name on them. The only catch is that you have to enter into the academy to become a Shinobi." Naruto looked on in awe. He couldn't believe that he was going to get his own place _and_ was going to become a Shinobi. This was something that he had wanted since he could remember.

"Hai Hokage-Sama" Naruto replied with his face full of confidence.


	2. Chapter 1

**Frozen Heart**

**Second installation with a timeskip. There will be answers, but not til future chapters**

**Naruto is slightly grey in this story and it has elements of Killer Instinct. **

**Oh I don't own Naruto or Killer Instinct**

**Enjoy**

**Chapter 1**

Time-skip five years

Naruto got out of bed, dragging his feet as he hopped into the shower. He did not want to go to the academy today and meet his _Genin_ team mates. He had already been there, and didn't need the burden of creating more _Bonds _with other Shinobi who'd like nothing better than to stab you in the back. He knew the rules and had some idea of how people worked. He had found that out the hard way. Shinobi were Shinobi, there was no honour in what they did. It only seemed honourable because of how Shinobi are perceived; they really weren't anything but pawns to be used by the Hokage for the betterment of the Village.

After a short cold shower, Naruto quickly dressed and made his way to the academy, where he was supposed to meet the new team. He rocked up to the classroom and stepped in. At the front of the classroom, Naruto saw one of his old Sensei's, Umino Iruka. The Chunnin still looked the same with his Chuunin vest over his normal Shinobi attire. His scar still his most distinguishable feature and his headband tied so that his ponytail can be seen from the back.

As Iruka looked to the door to determine who had interrupted them, he was a little surprised by the young Shinobi. Iruka knew Naruto before he graduated the academy two years ago, he also knew the reason he was here. What Iruka couldn't fathom was the idea that his _Otoutou_ looked and presented himself differently than the last time they caught up. Gone was the orange jumpsuit that Naruto often wore, instead he had on ANBU style pants that led into a pair of steel toed boots. The shirt he wore stuck tight to his body and over that was a vest similar to what the Chuunin wore. Both the vest and the shirt were dark in colour with a slight blue tint. The same could be said for his pants. Naruto's hair was no longer blonde but rather pale blue. His eyes were covered by dark glasses which made it hard to know what he was looking at, and to a further extent, what he could be thinking. One of the major changes which Iruka noticed however, was the way which Naruto held himself. At the moment, he looked more like an actual Shinobi and less than an Academy student; tense and ready to pounce at a moment's notice.

Most of the Genin in the class didn't know who he was and why he was here, but they felt slightly intimidated. Not only that, but the atmosphere turned colder than they were used too. It started to get real cold really quick, but that changed when Iruka spoke.

"Welcome back to the Academy Naruto." At the words Naruto just grunted and observed those in the room. "Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce a new member to the graduating class. Uzumaki Naruto." The class waited in silence to see what the young Shinobi would do.

"He graduated the Academy a few years ago" at Iruka's words, everyone sniggered. Well almost everyone. Naruto noticed some of the kids looking at him with blank faces, not giving away any of their emotions. Those being the young Uchiha, who was staring and not really joining in with the laughter. He had a calculative look on his face. The same look could be seen on the young Nara and the young Aburame. He knew they were sizing him up, trying to determine why he was here. With a muttered _Troublesome_, which Naruto caught from his spot, the young Nara let his head fall back onto his desk.

"Hah, back at the academy. What did you suck at being a Genin that they sent you back here?" shouted the young Inuzuka. Naruto knew of the Inuzuka and knew that the student was only having a go at him. But before he could reply, the young Nara spoke up.

"Troublesome. I'm assuming that you were either punished or something happened to your former team so that is why you're here, waiting for a new team." Naruto merely nodded slightly at the young Nara who, after nodding back, resumed his resting on his desk.

"Whatever. I bet he doesn't even know how to…" the young Inuzuka looked up as he felt the air around him get colder. He looked straight at Naruto and tried to hide a gulp. Mixed in with the air was a little KI, which only Iruka could cope.

"Okay Naruto. You can take a seat" Iruka exclaimed, watching as the young Shinobi took his seat next to Haruno Sakura. Iruka didn't bother with Naruto introducing himself to the class in the normal bonding exercise, seeing as they would only meet for the day, especially if the others didn't make it through being a Genin.

"Now congratulation for everyone passing their exam, I am very proud and honoured to call you my comrade. One day, I hope that one of you will take on a strong and powerful role within Konoha, and teach the _Will of Fire_ to the younger generation. Now on to the team placements… Team one is…"

Naruto at this time wondered why one of the girls behind him was staring holes through his skull. He could feel the prying eyes and tried to recall who sat in the seat behind him. As he first walked in, Naruto observed his surroundings and took in every detail that he could, especially all of the faces that were looking at them and their reactions. When he was younger, Naruto had developed something akin to an eidetic memory. This meant that many things were easy to remember for him and seeing something once would cause a slight ingrain in his mind. He assumed it was from his tenant and thought nothing more of it.

He realised that it was the young Hyuuga girl that was drilling holes in the back of his head with her eyes. The problem was, he didn't know the reason. He thought that he would keep that puzzle at the back of his mind and solve it at a later date.

"Team seven will be Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke…" here everyone could hear the pink haired girl cries of joy. Claiming that it was fate and true love. Ignoring the young Genin's rant Iruka continued. "Uzumaki Naruto" Silence… That was all that everyone could hear. Sakura sat down in her chair with wide eyes whilst looking at Naruto. She was uncertain how to act, and decided that silence was better than a confrontation with the unknown.

"Team eight will be Inuzuka Kiba, Hyuuga Hinata and Aburame Shino. Team nine is in circulation and team ten is Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikimaru and Akimichi Chouji. That is all and you have to wait til your Jounin Sensei's arrive. Thank you once again and your career as a Shinobi begins now.

Team seven was the last team waiting for their Sensei's. Sakura had tried to get a date out of Sasuke, only to be rejected. Narut

* * *

o had moved to a quieter spot in the room and simply dozed off. Sasuke was still wondering how someone their age had passed a few years ago and felt the need to get his answers, one way or another. For now though, he would bide his time and observe the young Uzumaki.

Two hours later the door opened to reveal a Jounin with spiked gravity defying silver hair. He had a mask over his lower face and his head band was covering one of his eyes. He was dressed as a regular Jounin with his vest showing over his dark blue shirt. He also had ANBU style pants similar to Naruto, but instead of boots, he had sandals covering his feet. "Meet me on the roof in five minutes" He spoke, before poofing out of sight, leaving Sakura with an unasked question and Sasuke with a raised eyebrow. Sakura looked at Sasuke and they both looked at their teammate only to find no-one there. With no other thought in mind, both ran to get to the roof as fast as possible.

On the roof, the Jounin Sensei was surprised to see the young Uzumaki sitting opposite him on the ground. He felt a miniscule spike of chakra, but didn't think anything of it. Returning to the book he was currently reading, the Jounin decided to store that information away for later. He knew that the young ninja was some sort of genius. He thought that Naruto should have been further ahead in regards to his Shinobi career, and he sought to find out why it had stalled.

Naruto was bored, he didn't want to be here and the more he waited around, the more agitated he got. He masked it pretty well, but his sensei picked up on it. The door burst open to allow his teammates access to the roof, and he saw the increase in breathe that Sakura displayed. She was more or less out of breath just from running up a flight of stairs, something which Naruto hoped to fix if he was going to _trust_ his new teammates.

"Alright, now that everyone is here, it's time to get started. We'll start by introducing ourselves. I'll start. My name is Hatake Kakashi, I have a few likes and some dislikes. I don't necessarily have any hobbies, and my future ambition is…" The students waited patiently for Kakashi to finish, only realizing he was looking at Sakura with an expectant look.

"Is that it Sensei?" she asked. With only a nod of the head for confirmation, she decided to start speaking. "My name is Haruno Sakura… I like many things" at this point she started blushing whilst looking at Sasuke from the side of her face. "I dislike Ino-pig and people who are mean" here she glanced at Naruto. All three male members of team seven caught the look, but decided not to say anything. "My hobbies are reading and…" here she looked back at Sasuke.

"Okay broody your next" Kakashi jumped in before Sakura could continue speaking.

"My name is Uchiha Sasuke, I don't have many likes, and I don't have many dislikes. I have a dream, no an ambition and that is to kill a certain man and restore my clan." Sasuke finished with a dark look. Sakura thought he was cool and Naruto knew who he was talking about but pretended he didn't.

Kakashi thought that he needed to do something about that broody attitude, but first "Okay snowflake, you're up." Kakashi stated looking at Naruto.

"Uzumaki Naruto. I don't like many things and I hate certain people. I don't have a dream but if I did…" Here he ended speaking leaving the others in wait. Kakashi was a little surprised, He thought that Naruto would speak more but assumed wrong.

"Okay. Now that we know each other"

"But Sensei, I don't know anything about you or Naruto. How am I supposed to trust you if I don't know you?" asked Sakura a little peeved. Sasuke was thinking the same thing, but didn't bother with voicing his opinion.

"Well, I guess that you will have to trust our actions and not our words." Kakashi replied, giving his famous eye smile. "Now before I forget. Meet me tomorrow at 5am at training ground 3. There we will have our true Genin test, oh and don't eat breakfast." He quickly chimed in before disappearing once again.

Sakura wanted to ask more questions, but their Sensei was gone. Sasuke wanted to train and decided to leave with Sakura following closely behind about to ask for a date. Sasuke instead turned to look at their other teammate only to find him gone. With that he did the same and disappeared in a swirl of leaves. Sakura was left standing alone on top of the Academy rooftops.


	3. Chapter 2

**Frozen Heart**

**Third installation. Genin test and first attempt at a fight scene**

**Naruto is slightly grey in this story and it has elements of Killer Instinct. **

**Oh I don't own Naruto or Killer Instinct**

**Enjoy**

**Chapter 2**

Kakashi didn't know what to expect from his Genin cell. All he knew was that it was weird. Naruto wasn't the same child that he had guarded as part of the ANBU. He knew there was a change that overtook him throughout his Genin years. Kakashi was supposed to be his Sensei, but was stuck in ANBU with no way to retire. The Sandiame Hokage had a plan obviously, but he wasn't privy to the detail. That was the only conclusion that Kakashi could find with him not becoming Naruto's first sensei.

One thing that struck a chord with Kakashi however, was Naruto's coldness and indifference to those around him. He really needed to read up on Naruto's former mission reports and see what he had learnt from his previous Sensei. Kakashi also needed to familiarize himself with the rest of the team. He knew that he was not allowed to fail the Uchiha, talk about favouritism, and that the Kunoichi would need to be re-trained thoroughly.

Kakashi left early that day to read their profiles and get an idea of each Genin's skills and find out what their weaknesses are. He would probably be up most of the night trying to memorize what he saw; then again, the Sharingan does help in that department. Maybe he'd just read to pass the time.

XxX

Naruto went to training ground seven which was his favourite training ground. He knew the place like the back of his hand and enjoyed training there. Problem was that he was never alone. There was always a Shinobi or a Kunoichi nearby. He could feel it. He could not sense them, but the hair on the back of his neck always stood on end when he felt someone looking at him. This always caused him to hide his true potential. After all, who would want a monster trained to become a proficient killing machine? So it was a light training session tonight, then a light dinner and off to bed. Tomorrow was going to be a long day after all.

xXx

Sakura was still peeved at her teams' lack of interaction. She was irritated with the fact that she and Sasuke hadn't been on a date yet, even thought they were now on the same team. She felt that it was necessary to get closer to him to get a date and all she had to do was play her cards right. She would be with Sasuke, one way or another. It was destiny, true love, fate. It was meant to be. With that last thought in mind, Sakura hit the books to further her general knowledge about the Shinobi world and the times they live in.

XxX

Sasuke went straight home to train. He needed to get stronger to beat his _brother_ and anyone who stood in his way. He was destined to become the heir of the Uchiha clan, the noblest clan within Konoha. He wasn't stupid though, and knew that his brother was already leaps and bounds ahead of him. Sasuke hadn't unlocked his bloodline yet, and it always irritated him to no end. He knew a few fire techniques and always sought to master them before moving on to others. Many would say that his skill in Tai jutsu rivalled that of Chuunins. Truth is though, Sasuke had a long way to go, and being on a team with a strong Jounin helps in his quest for _Justice_.

xXx

Naruto awoke at half past four in the morning. He was drenched in sweat from head to toe. Every night he had the same dream and it caused him nothing but sadness, guilt and a lot of pain. He knew that what had happened wasn't his fault, but the memory of the incident was burnt into his memories. Forever plaguing his dreams and turning them into nightmares.

He would normally have hyperventilated at this moment and probably fainted. His time in _rehab_ after the incident helped minimise his need to breakdown. Anxiety was an issue which affected him greatly and what people see when he's around is nothing but a mask; a mask of indifference, a mask to hide all the pain, all the sadness all the anger and all the hate. He would get revenge, no _Justice _for his former teammates. That was one promise he was bound to keep.

With that thought in mind, Naruto got out of bed and entered the bathroom to complete his morning rituals. The showers were cold, as per usual, but it didn't faze him at all. He still had some time to get to training ground three, so he snuck in a light breakfast. One thing he learnt from his previous _Sensei_ was that food was essential for the body to survive. Skipping breakfast was a rookies' mistake and that could be the difference between leaving a battle alive and not leaving at all.

xXx

The three young shinobi entered training ground three at 5am. Sasuke was walking with confidence and Sakura was dragging her feet along the ground. Naruto on the other hand was silent and trying as hard as he could to fit in with the scenery. He hated interaction, especially if with people he didn't know, or want to know for that fact.

"We need a plan to deal with the test." Sasuke spoke in a soft tone, speaking as low as he could so that their sensei, if he was around, couldn't hear them. "You were a Genin once? Did you have to do a similar test?" Sasuke Asked looking at Naruto.

Naruto had a half a mind to ignore the young Uchiha and pretend he didn't hear him. That however would become a problem and he figured Sasuke could try to resort to violence to get his way.

"Yeah… How come you're a Genin when you should be further along in your career?" Sakura asked in a confused manner, tilting her head to the left, as if gazing at Naruto from a different angle could give the answer which she wanted.

Naruto looked between the two and decided to humour them. Stupid interaction between teammates… Oh how he hated it. "I wasn't much of a Genin and each test is different and dependant on whom is running said test." Naruto spoke in a soft and mellow tone.

"Then what was your test?" Sasuke asked again, making sure to get as much information that he could to ensure that he passed this little _test_.

'_We were ordered by our sensei to make a choice. A choice between being a shinobi or leaving that lifestyle to become a civilian. My teammates had to kill innocent people from a small town not far from here._' Was what Naruto wanted to say, but bit his tongue to keep it from coming out. His former _sensei_ had said it was to prepare them for future missions. He trusted his former _sensei_ wholeheartedly.

"It will be a test to see if we can act like a team or not." Naruto spoke after a short while. The other two looked at him with different eyes. Sasuke's was calculative and he was trying to determine what the test may be. Sakura's eyes however showed uncertainty. She didn't trust Naruto at all and wondered why he was really on their team.

"I'm assuming that the test will be simple and that we will indeed have a choice." Naruto spoke again. Sasuke was thinking of some of the choices which might be involved with the test, his most absurd was killing innocent people just to prove that he was a shinobi.

"Okay, so do you have a plan for what might come up?" Sasuke asked. Naruto looked at the two and decided to share some ideas. Not all of them, but some of them. He really did want to pass. Higher missions and higher pay would come in handy for now. Unknown to the three Genin, Kakashi was listening in to every word that they said, and couldn't believe that they actually started working together from the get go. He could feel some animosity, but thought that would disintegrate with time and bonding exercises.

XxX

Three hours later and Kakashi walked into the clearing of training ground three. His three, soon to be students, were still there but now trying to relax. Sakura screamed at the top of her lungs. "You're late!" Kakashi just eye smiled and pulled three bento boxes from his back. At the smell of food, Sakura and Sasuke's stomach started to growl. Naruto's did as well, but it wasn't as loud as the others.

"Okay. The purpose of the test is to get these bells off of me. Those who get a bell will pass the exam and those that fail will get sent back to the academy. If one of you fail miserably, I will tie you to one of the poles and let your teammates eat in front of you." Sakura's jaw was hanging wide open. Sasuke had a slightly possessed look. His face showed a smirk and his eyes were eying the prize. Naruto on the other hand looked bored. He looked as if he really didn't want to be here.

"You have until the timer runs out. And come at me with the intent to kill" Kakashi spoke again, pulling a clock out of his pockets. "Your time starts now." As Kakashi said this, he disappeared in a poof of smoke. The three Genin each found a hiding spot to determine where Kakashi was and how to bait him into their trap.

Kakashi could spot all three of them from his hiding space. Sakura was the easiest to find because of her bright pink hair and the amount of noise she was making. Sasuke and Naruto hid well enough, but Kakashi could still see the evidence which provided him with their hiding places. '_Well… It's time for the fun to begin._' Kakashi thought as he disappeared once again in a poof of smoke.

XxX

Sakura was surveying her surroundings when she felt the need to roll to the left. As she did, she found her previous hiding spot covered in shuriken. As she looked up, she saw Sasuke in front of her, with a kunai in one hand and some shuriken in the other. He was looking at her like a predator looks at his prey. Sakura was frozen to the spot due to the Killing Intent that was rolling off of Sasuke, she was about to speak when Sasuke threw his shuriken at her again. Sakura barely moved to the left but two shuriken hit her. One hit her on the right leg the other hit her in the abdomen. She felt pain, a lot of pain when the shuriken hit and she was trying her hardest not to faint. Her eyes were teary and she had a look of pure shock, disbelief and fear on her face.

Sakura was on her knees, tending to the wounds she had received when she looked to Sasuke once more. He was right in front of her now with his kunai poised to strike. Sakura let out a howling scream as the kunai descended. With oxygen leaving her lungs and the fear and pain she felt, she saw nothing but darkness.

Naruto heard the scream and decided to find out what had happened. When he arrived at the scene, all he saw was pure carnage. Body parts were scattered here and there, a pink mop of hair stood out in the middle of the bloodbath connected to a head that was looking straight at him. He looked straight into the eyes of Sakura and started shaking. Flashbacks and memories of the first time he had taken a life popped into his head. Memories of the few times he killed after that, and of the mercy killings his former _sensei _committed. The final flashback scared Naruto, as he saw the image of his former teammate in the place where Sakura should have been.

Panicking slightly, Naruto ran forward as fast as he could, only to get blindsided from a strong right hook. Naruto's mind was in a whirl as he tried to comprehend what had happened. He shakily rose to his feet, only to look into the onyx coloured eyes of Sasuke. He noticed that Sasuke was acting different. He had a more sinister look on his face. Before he could think more on it, Naruto had to move his head to the left to avoid a straight punch to his jaw. Sasuke anticipated this and followed up with a right hook, just missing Naruto again. Both Naruto and Sasuke drew a kunai at the same time and deflected the others strike. Sasuke was still on the attack and slowly pushing Naruto further from the carnage. The fight was fast for Genin level shinobi and Naruto couldn't believe how quick Sasuke was.

Sasuke threw a shuriken which hit a rope that released some shuriken at Naruto. One of the shuriken hit Naruto in the back whilst he tried to duck. The shuriken was embedded deep in his skin and causing slight discomfort. Naruto stood once more to face Sasuke. Sasuke saw the change in Naruto's demeanour but said nothing of it. Just as Sasuke was about to run straight at Naruto again, he had to dodge to the left and then to the right as blades made of ice appeared from the ground. Sasuke was slightly off balance, and that was all that Naruto needed to disappear underground and re-appear stabbing Sasuke in an uppercutting motion. As the kunai hit Sasuke, he poofed into smoke; leaving behind a silver bell. With the Shuriken no longer in his back, Naruto could move more easily, especially with his healing ability kicking in.

Naruto was about to reach for the bell, before he looked up to see Sasuke looking at him with wide eyes.

XxX

_Flashback (same time as 'Sasuke' was fighting Naruto)_

_Sasuke had heard Sakura scream and decided to see what had happened. He knew that most of the plan's which Naruto had devised wouldn't work, especially against a fully trained Jounin. He just needed a bell to continue his Shinobi career._

_Sasuke started moving with speed towards Sakura's known destination, only to stop and jump back to avoid some incoming shuriken. He looked up and pulled out a kunai to deflect some more shuriken that were aimed at his upper body. Sasuke could feel the Killer Intent in the air and tried his hardest to pinpoint his target._

"_Well Sasuke… It looks like none of you will pass this test hmmm." Kakashi spoke from everywhere and nowhere at once. Sasuke was looking around in a panic, only for his fear to rise when he saw mist slowly creep over the small clearing. Sasuke knew that Kakashi needed to be near a water source for this jutsu to work to its fullest. He also knew that his teammates needed his help and that fighting a Jounin one on one was foolish. No matter how much he hated it, he could do nothing but run._

_So he did. Sasuke ran straight through the mist, only to get a kunai embedded into his head. At the last second, the image of Sasuke disappeared to be replaced with a log. Sasuke was trying to use the Mist as a cover to hide. 'Good Sasuke, use your enemies jutsu against you' thought Kakashi as he prepared his trap._

_Just as Kakashi was going to get near Sasuke he heard "Fire style: Grand Fireball Jutsu" as a Large fireball was headed towards his location. He had no idea how Sasuke had found him, but decided to Kawarimi with a log. At that moment Sasuke made a mad dash towards the exit of the mist only to get socked hard in the face by a foot._

_Sasuke was down for a second and Kakashi walked closer, only to see Sasuke disappear in a poof of smoke with a log in his place. "Smart, very quick on his feet and skilled with fire jutsu. You will make an exceptional shinobi one day Sasuke… Well time to wrap this up."_

_Sasuke had tricked his sensei using some skill and now he was on his way towards Sakura's last know position. As he stumbled upon the clearing, he looked up in time to see Naruto standing in front of a bloody mess of body parts._

_Flashback end_

xXx

Sasuke looked at Naruto and then gazed passed him to see the carnage which Naruto saw earlier. Before he could do anything however, Naruto started attacking him. Sasuke dodged to the left and then to the right before ducking under a kick and jumping back to get some distance between himself and Naruto.

"What are you doing? Stop trying to hit me, Naruto" Sasuke exclaimed, only for his voice to land on deaf ears. Sasuke saw to the right of Naruto, the image of the bloody mess disappear to be replaced with a panting Sakura. She was up and looking at Naruto.

"Naruto stop." Sakura screamed. At her voice Naruto turned around and found a grassy-green field with Sakura looking at him with wide eyes. Just as he was about to speak, the bell rang, notifying them that the test was over. Naruto was about to pick up the bell which lie on the ground in front of him when a pair of hands came from under the ground and dragged him under up to his neck.

"Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation Jutsu" Kakashi spoke whilst holding a kunai to Naruto's neck. "I'm very disappointed in all of you. I can't believe that you could not pass a simple teamwork exercise." Kakashi spoke in a cold tone.

Sakura looked heart broken, and was about to cry. Sasuke looked a little pissed but was trying to reign in his emotions. Naruto looked calm, but Kakashi could see his emotions running wild in his dark blue eyes. His eyes looked as if a storm were raging through his mind. "The objective was to obtain a bell, and you failed to do that. Working together gave you the best chance to get a bell." Kakashi spoke again.

They had failed. The test was as simple as Naruto had said it would be, but yet they still failed. Kakashi got to his feet and dug Naruto out of the ground, "You three follow me." Kakashi spoke again, making sure that each of his 'students' followed him over to the three wooden posts. "Now Sakura, I'm disappointed in you for failing to realise you were in a genjutsu and fighting against a clone with a transformation" Sakura put her head down in shame and was about to walk over to the post to be tied up. "However…" Kakashi continued "the most disappointing person in this squad is Naruto." Here all students looked towards Kakashi.

"Naruto, you had the chance to release your teammate from a genjutsu, but got affected by the same genjutsu. You also attacked a fellow Konoha-Nin. Given you may have had an incentive, but had you realised that you were in a genjutsu in the first place, everything would have been fine." Here Naruto looked down slightly.

"Sakura tie Naruto to the post and Sasuke, good work to try and get your teammates involved." Sasuke looked on in disinterest. He knew that Naruto was right all along. The test was to work as a team, yet he didn't believe him. He only had one small fight and then dodged Naruto's hits, nothing more than that. He didn't feel proud today, no, Uchiha Sasuke felt disheartened to see his 'teammates' getting lectured from their sensei.

"Now, I think you all should quit as shinobi" Sakura was about to respond, before Sasuke rushed at Kakashi, kunai in hand. Sasuke was quickly slammed on his stomach with his hands behind his back and a kunai to his throat. "Sakura, kill Naruto or I'll kill Sasuke." Sakura turned pale white. She didn't know what to take of that order. She was about to move, before she saw swords made of ice appearing near Kakashi's head, trying to take it clean off. Sakura hadn't seen this jutsu and was surprised to find Naruto guarding Sasuke from their Sensei. This was the second time that Kakashi had seen the jutsu and he couldn't believe what he saw. He didn't think that Naruto had the Hyouton bloodline or anything like it, he needed to talk with the Hokage about this.

"Sensei…" Naruto spoke. "We knew what the test was about all along, but decided to test our strengths against you" at this point Sasuke stood beside Naruto with Sakura meekly falling in from behind. "We obviously failed to work together in practice, but that's what the D-ranks are for?" Naruto spoke again.

Sasuke and Sakura looked at Naruto when he mentioned D-Ranks and Kakashi was trying not to smile. "Well it seems that you knew what the test was about, but I wonder if cheating counts as a pass?" Kakashi stated, looking his three students in the eyes.

Sakura lowered her gaze, Sasuke was trying to control his anger and Naruto spoke up. "Well in the Shinobi world, we lie, cheat and steal. It is a part of our unwritten code" Here Sasuke and Sakura looked between Naruto and Kakashi.

"Well it seems I have no choice…" Kakashi spoke once more "You…. Pass" He said with his infamous eye-smile. "I know that given a second chance, the three of you will work together as a team. Trying to rescue your teammates in the middle of a test is proof of this. Naruto was first when he tied to determine why Sakura screamed… Sasuke at the same time as Naruto, but was caught up and Sakura, when you broke the Genjutsu and stopped your teammates from killing each other." What Kakashi didn't mention was the beginning, when the three were planning together, but decided to work individually to test their skills.

"Come over here and look at this monument." Kakashi spoke again. Sakura and Sasuke immediately followed, but Naruto stayed behind with a downtrodden look. "This is a stone that has the heroes of Konoha etched onto it. My closest friends are on here…" Sasuke and Sakura also felt the mood swing from happy to sombre whilst looking at the stone. "Remember these words, 'those who break the ninja code are trash, but those that abandon their comrades are lower than trash'" Here he looked at each one of them. His gaze lingered on Naruto much longer until the boy looked up into Kakahsi's eye.

"Now I have to officially register team seven with the Hokage, meet me here at 8am tomorrow morning. You all have the rest of the day off." With that, Kakashi disappeared with a flicker of leaves. Sasuke walked off in the direction of the Uchiha compound to train. Sakura was going to follow him but decided to hit up the Library instead. Naruto was already gone and neither Sasuke nor Sakura knew where he went.

XxX


	4. Chapter 3

**Frozen Heart**

**Fourth installation. Skipped the D-Ranks and straight to the C-Ranks, hope that's okay.  
**

**Naruto is slightly grey in this story and it has elements of Killer Instinct. **

**I don't own Naruto or Killer Instinct**

**Enjoy**

**Chapter 3**

Naruto really didn't want to do another D-Rank mission. He was low on funds and needed to be out of Konoha. '_Stupid Civilians and their know-it-all attitude_' he kept chanting in his head. For one, every D-Rank he did he was met with disdain. They tried to hide it but he wasn't stupid, he felt it and so did his teammates. His Sensei also felt it, but really didn't do anything to help. The second reason was the prices on everything that he purchased, or tried to purchase. It was two to three times higher than what everyone else had to pay. He had to transform every day to get the bare necessities others were privy to. The third reason was the cat which he was currently holding. This was the fifth time they had caught him over the past month, and it was getting annoying.

As far as training went, he hadn't learnt anything new. His teammates however had to catch up to him with regards to Tree and Water walking. Naruto spent every morning before their Sensei arrived on training. This piqued the interest of his teammates, and after the first few days, they decided to join in. He didn't practice any of his more _unique _moves, just some katas and training his physique. Although Sakura was still fawning over Sasuke, something had changed her approach. She went from being downright annoying to bearable within a week, and no-one knew why. Her training in the morning with her male teammates showed her how far behind she was.

Sasuke was his usual self. He barely spoke unless spoken to or if he had a question that he wanted answered. More often than not, his questions were directed to Naruto, only for Sakura to chime in and answer. This occurred on a daily basis, until Sasuke started directing his questions to Sakura. Kakashi was glad his team got along. He started training them in the basics and felt they were good enough to take a C-rank mission.

Naruto kept repeating his chant in his mind unknowingly leaking Killer Intent. Most of the general population felt it and gave the Shinobi team a wide berth. Kakashi felt it but remained silent. Sometimes it was good to vent ones anger, however if things got out of hand, it was up to him to protect his comrades and subdue any threat. Sasuke and Sakura felt the Killer Intent rolling off of Naruto, and they each tried to get his attention.

"Hey Naruto, are you okay?" Sakura asked, making Naruto look at her. What she saw made her almost trip over her steps. Naruto's eyes were like a storm raging. It wasn't the normal rainy storm attached, no. it was a full on blizzard. She was about to ask him about it when he answered her back.

"I'm fine. Just these boring D-Ranks and this stupid cat." Here he tightened his grip on the cat to make sure it got the message. The cat did nothing but play along. It knew where it was going and as soon as it got there, it would make its escape.

"Meh-meh, Naruto, don't fret, hopefully we'll get a C-Rank soon." Kakashi spoke, gaining the attention of all three Genin. As he finished his sentence, team seven arrived at the Hokage's Tower. Once inside, they handed the cat over to its owners and went about negotiating their next assignment.

"Hokage-Sama, if I may make a request? I feel that my team is ready to take a C-Rank mission" Kakashi spoke earning a look from Iruka and the Sandaime Hokage. Iruka was about to protest but the Sandaime beat him to the punch.

"I guess that is acceptable, given their current track record. Team seven has completed 21 D-Rank missions. More than the other Genin teams have completed before asking their first C-Rank." The Hokage finished with a chuckle, causing team seven to glare at their sensei. That was news to them and had they known there was a quota to fulfil, they would have accomplished it as soon as possible.

Kakashi pretended that his team wasn't looking at him, and continued to read his beloved book. "Well it looks like we got a C-Rank right here. You are to escort some travelling merchants to Otafuku Gai and then towards the Port City east of there. The missions should take roughly a week and no longer then two. Here are the mission parameters and you are to meet your client by the East gate in an hours' time." Kakashi continued reading his book as he collected the scroll. Sakura had a huge grin on her face, Naruto looked relieved and Sasuke had a small smirk.

This was the first time leaving Konoha for Sasuke and Sakura; Naruto on the other hand couldn't wait to get back into the wide open world. Being in Konoha was akin to a cage for him. His hope however was to get some information on the whereabouts of his former _sensei_. His former _comrade_ was also on the back of his mind, but he needed to be certain that they weren't really working together.

With that in mind, the Genin and their Jounin Sensei left to get ready. Naruto was already dressed and had a sealing scroll on his possession that had all the necessary equipment needed when outside of Konoha. His former _Sensei's_ teaching method was good for something at the least. With a slightly darker look, Naruto made his way to his favourite restaurant, Ichiraku Ramen. He hadn't visited in a while, being busy with training and missions… So Naruto knew he was going to get a scolding.

* * *

Sasuke was relieved to finally get his chance to prove himself. He knew that from C-Ranks and up, things got exciting. He got back to the Uchiha compound and his mood darkened slightly. He could move if he wanted, but being in the compound gave him the _strength_ to seek _justice _for his Clan. It also kept his motivation to train harder and higher… Especially knowing who he would one day fight against.

* * *

Sakura was very excited when leaving the Hokage tower. She was relieved that she was going to get some time away from her mother and Konoha in general. To her, this was a little break from reality. She knew the possibility of this mission going wrong was very low. That didn't stop her from packing her backpack full of necessities to last a month… who knew what could happen.

* * *

Team Kakashi arrived at the East gate right on time. They didn't know what to expect from their Sensei, if he'd come late or arrive at his usual time. The three Genin stood quietly next to each other with their backs against the gate. Naruto was on the right, looking out into the wilderness beyond Konoha, Sakura was to the left and checking to see if their sensei was on his way. Sasuke was looking straight ahead, keeping an eye on the people in front of him. One of the people started approaching the Genin Cell. This caused Sasuke to stiffen slightly, alerting his teammates of the approach. The man approaching didn't care too much and decided to introduce himself.

"Hi, I'm Hideki Ko, are you the team that will be guarding us to Otafuku Gai and Port City?" The young stranger asked. He was a slender looking fellow with dark brown eyes and sandy brown wavy hair. He had on a pair of brown pants that went to his closed in boots, it looked similar to Naruto's. He was also wearing a short brown un-buttoned shirt over a creamy coloured singlet. He had a few earrings in each ear. Sakura blushed slightly whilst looking at him, and tried to hide it by looking away.

"Yes." Sasuke spoke. He was a little weary about this young merchant. He looked different than the merchants he was used too. "My name is Sasuke and these are my teammates Sakura and Naruto." Ko looked from one Genin to the other when Sasuke introduced them. "We are still waiting on our Sensei; he should be here shortly… If he isn't then we may have to wait another two hours before he arrives." Sasuke spoke, trying to keep the venom out of his voice. He really wanted to leave now before something bad happens. This _Merchant_ was giving him a funny vibe. He wasn't the only one who felt it however, as Naruto did as well.

"Nice to meet the three of you. My sister and her partner are also late, they went to the hospital to pick up some medicine for our father. That and get some advice. My sister's pregnant and I'm about to be an uncle." Ko spoke again, showing a huge and proud smile. Sakura felt her blush come back full force when looking at Ko, Sasuke was a tad bit jealous and Naruto was wondering if it was him or did the person look like he was hiding something. After all, people wear masks all the time. Ko returned back to his caravan to recheck all of his wares whilst he waited for his sister and brother-in-law to return.

* * *

It was an hour later when Ko's sister and brother-in-law arrived. Ko's brother-in-law was carrying a backpack whilst Ko's sister looked 7-8 months pregnant. Ko helped his sister onto the caravan whilst his brother-in-law started restocking some of the wares he had bought from the markets. Ko invited the three Genin over to introduce them. "This is my brother-in-law Noburu and my sister Haru." The three Genin nodded at the couple who were in front of them. Haru was a stunning woman with shoulder length black hair and dark brown eyes. She reminded Sasuke of his mother a bit. She wore a long dark blue dress with a white summer jacket over it. Although it was warm, the jacket suited her and kept her cool. Her husband on the other hand was a large fellow. He was taller than Kakashi and had big arms and chest. He had long spiky dark brown hair with light brown eyes. He was wearing long dark blue pants with a creamy coloured shirt. Over his waist was some type of sash and on his forehead was a white bandanna. He looked like some type of chef, but the Genin couldn't be certain of it.

"I'm Sasuke, this is Sakura and this is Naruto." Sasuke spoke once again. It wasn't often that he spoke, but their normal spokesperson was blushing up a storm and couldn't speak even if she wanted too.

"It's nice to meet you all, are we ready to go yet?" Haru asked in a soft and melodic voice.

Sasuke was about to answer, but a poof of smoke stopped him with his mouth hanging slightly ajar. Kakashi appeared in his natural manner with his hand raised and his eye-smile plastered on his face.

"Good, now that we're all here…" As he spoke he opened his eyes looking at Sasuke with his mouth opened. "I know I'm good looking, but why the mouth open?" Kakashi asked Sasuke, only to get a snort from Naruto and for Sakura to hide her giggles using her hands. Sasuke on the other hand closed his mouth and stood up straighter. He was slightly red in the face, but after a few seconds, his normal complexion returned.

Kakashi introduced himself to the trio and started moving out only to stop in his tracks. He looked at Naruto. "Where is your backpack?" Naruto tilted his head to the side, feigning thinking before pulling out one of the scrolls on his vest. Kakashi eye smiled before he continued walking. Sasuke was slightly confused and was about to voice a question, only for Sakura to cut in.

"It's a storage scroll. I think I should have bought a few. Would help with the load." Sasuke was a little peeved at being predictable and not knowing what Naruto had held. With that thought he marched to the front to take point. Kakashi stayed behind the caravan while Naruto and Sakura took a side each. This was going to be an interesting C-Rank mission.


	5. Chapter 4

**Frozen Heart**

**As it is, I'm still on Holiday mode. This was done in a semi-rush. Trying to skip the boring part but at the same time develop a plot and introduce Team 7s training.**

**Naruto is slightly grey in this story and it has elements of Killer Instinct. **

**I don't own Naruto or Killer Instinct**

**Enjoy**

**Chapter 4**

So far the C-Rank was boring. All the Genin had to do was walk besides the cart and keep an eye out for any change in the environment. Naruto knew what C-Ranks were about and knew that some were just like this. He felt like he was missing something though. He had been getting vibes off of Team 7's companions; it felt like they were hiding something. The more he dwelled on it the more frustrated he became. He hated being kept in the dark, but there was nothing that he could do. It wasn't good to interrogate your clients.

"Okay we will set up here for the night. The trip will be another day and a half on foot and we will reach Otafuku Gai then." Kakashi explained, causing his Genin to sigh. They would have been there by now if it wasn't for their clients. "Naruto, you collect some wood for a fire, Sakura and Sasuke can collect some food."

"You don't have to go hunting; we'll be more than happy to share some food with the four of you" explained Ko as he jumped off of the carriage and searched through it for some of the food. Kakashi was thinking about it for a second before shaking his head.

"Thank you, but no, this is as much a part of their training as it is a mission. They will need to utilise these skills in the future, so it is better to teach them now." Kakashi explained. The three Genin were still standing in place when he spoke, hoping that they didn't need to collect wood and forage food. Their heads dropped slightly with Kakashi's explanation, but they still jolted and went about completing their tasks.

Half an hour later Sasuke and Sakura where cooking some skewered Rabbits and fish over the fire which Naruto made. Naruto was on his bed, which he retrieved from one of his scrolls, staring up at the dark red clouds with its purple streaks and small streaks of golden sunlight. The sun was close to setting and the night tended to get dark pretty quick in Hi No Kuni.

He was contemplating a few questions that have been plaguing his mind for quite some time. He had an inkling that he knew the three _merchants_ with whom they were travelling with. They seemed familiar but he just couldn't figure out how. He knew mostly everyone in Konoha, barring certain ninjas and the ANBU, whom he doesn't know the identification due to their masks.

As he was brooding, the young man, Ko, came up to him and struck up a conversation. "So, Naruto was it?" Inclining his head for Ko to see that he was listening, Ko continued. "I've been meaning to ask, why would someone as young as yourself become a Shinobi?" It was a peculiar question and it was received with a blank face and a few blinking eyes.

Gaining his voice to ensure that he didn't offend the young man who asked the question, Naruto spoke. "I've been a Ninja for more than two years." This tad-bit of information caused Sasuke and Sakura to tune in to what Naruto said so that they could get some ideas as to who Uzumaki Naruto was. "This is not the first times clients have asked that question nor will it be the last. However, in all cases, the clients are left with more questions after each explanation. So to save a lot of time and ensure I don't waste my breath, I've decided not to impart upon you, the answer to that question."This answer left Ko looking quite confused. Sasuke smirked at the answer, knowing that it wasn't that easy to get information out of Naruto and Sakura looked peeved. She wanted to learn a bit about her blue haired teammate, but didn't know how to broach the subject. Being their clients, she had hoped that Naruto would answer them; however she was left with no further knowledge of his life.

Kakashi continued reading his book, but deep in his mind, he wondered what had happened to Naruto to cause him to become this guarded. He had read his file and spoke with the Hokage about Naruto's past, but both times he failed to gain any insight as to why Naruto had changed. He knew that the Hokage was hiding things, but it wasn't his place to ask, so he remained silent and aloof.

Ko didn't expect so much hostility when asking the question and decided to leave Naruto alone and talk to his other two teammates. Walking up to Sakura and Sasuke, he asked them the same question. Sakura remained quiet whilst she blushed slightly, not looking Ko in the eyes. Sasuke didn't want to answer because he really didn't think of the question before today. Being the unofficial spokesperson, Sasuke decided to attempt an answer. "My clan have been Shinobi since before the village where created. It was my ancestor who helped to create Konoha, yet I'm the only one left from my clan. Reviving my clan is a goal, but to do that, I'd need to ensure that they weren't threatened in any way, shape or form. That is why I became a Shinobi."

Although it answered Ko's question, Sasuke didn't feel that that was a full answer. It was a fraction which fits into a whole. Sasuke felt as if there was more to it, but decided not to speak too much, unless he accidently says something he'd regret. Ko turned to Sakura and was about to ask the same question when Sasuke spoke up once more. "Dinner is ready Sensei. Can we eat?" he asked

"Yes, yes. Eat for now, and whilst we're eating, I'll assign each of you a time for guard duty." As he spoke, Kakashi started to walk toward the fire and collect one of the animals to eat. "Naruto will have first watch tonight, Sakura second and Sasuke last. Each watch will be three hours. Traps are to be set around the perimeter and at the moment you change guards, each of you will have to re-check each trap." Naruto joined them at this point and began to eat as well. "Our top priority is to ensure the safety of our charges. That means to protect Ko, Haru and Noburu at all times. Protecting their wares comes second in priority."

At this point, Noburu and Haru joined them by the fire. The sun had set and it was getting darker by the minute. "Tomorrow will be the same, we'll stop before light out, collect food and wood and keep watch. Though this time Sasuke gets first watch and Naruto second, Sakura will have the last watch."

"Is there anything that we can help with?" asked Ko, looking at Kakashi. Kakashi thought for a brief minute than decided against it. "No, no. It's fine. This is also a part of their training." Kakashi exclaimed with an eye smile.

They all sat around the fire and eat what food that they had. Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura and Kakashi ate the rabbits and fish whilst Ko, Haru and Noburu ate food which they had bought from Konoha. There wasn't much discussion, only mouths chewing food.

"Kakashi sen… Kakashi San" Ko spoke, gaining everyone's attention. "Would you like some Sake?" he asked. Kakashi kindly refused the offer. "How about you three? Want some Sake?" Sakura blushed when Ko looked at her and looked away whilst shaking her head, Naruto didn't utter a word, just sat and ate in silence, Sasuke however contemplated having some but decided against it. He was on duty last and he needed to get to sleep early.

"Thanks Ko, but I might get some shut eye. I have the last shift tonight, and need some rest beforehand." Sasuke said trying to be polite. With that he stood and made his way towards his sleeping mat. As far as Sasuke knew neither him nor Naruto bought a tent, and they both decided to sleep on the ground. Sakura decided she had to turn in as well. She was the only one of the four Shinobi who had a tent.

"Goodnight Kakashi Sensei, Naruto. Goodnight Haru, Noburu …" and in a really low and soft voice Sakura said "…Goodnight Ko." Naruto did not reply, but each of the others did.

As it was his shift first, Naruto decided to set some traps. In his younger days, he would pull pranks on people that didn't like him. He used those pranks as a starting block for his training in skills. It required planning, precision and trap setting. All of which he had. So with a little planning, Naruto started arranging the traps outside the centre of the camp. After all were set, he returned to his seat by the fire, keeping an ear out for any noise during the night.

The others had gone to sleep, but Naruto could feel eyes watching him. From his position, he shifted and looked towards his Sensei. Kakashi looked fast asleep, but Naruto felt like he was awake. Feeling slightly bored, Naruto got up and stretched. He didn't know how long he had been sitting at the fire, but it was no longer flame but coals giving the light. He started walking around, checking the traps before returning to his spot by the coal-fire.

At the end of his shift, he hoped it had been three hours, he went and woke Sakura. From there, they both went and checked the traps. Naruto had to explain each of the traps to ensure that Sakura understood them. From there Naruto went to sleep and didn't wake til it was morning.

Sakura was still half asleep sitting by the fire. Many times she had nodded off only to jerk awake to ensure she didn't stay asleep. Over on his bed, Kakashi let out a low sigh. He knew that Sakura still had a ways to go to become a Kunoichi. He just needed to push her harder and faster than his other two students. As the three hours where up, Sakura moved and woke Sasuske and repeated to him what Naruto told her. The traps didn't take too long, and when it was over Sakura went straight to sleep.

Sasuke made himself comfortable and found it easy to stay awake. Throughout his shift, he did nothing but trying to activate his Sharingan by circulating chakra to his eyes. It was hard, but he felt that he made progress as the sun was slowly making its way over the horizon. By morning he was slightly tired, but decided to get breakfast ready. He went and caught a few more fish after he woke Naruto and Sakura. It wasn't a good idea to go fishing and leave everyone exposed.

Kakashi was impressed with his students' skills throughout the night. Each of them had their strengths and weaknesses, but he thought that they did a good job overall. Sasuke needed to keep and ear and eye out on what was happening around him. Naruto needed to do the same, but Kakashi had a feeling that he was feingting his ignorance. And Sakura needed to learn not to fall asleep on the job. '_Meh, they're only young and have a long way to go yet._' Kakashi concluded.

XxX

The second day of travelling was as boring as the first and Sakura and Sasuke felt relieved to finally set up camp. The middle shift was the hardest and it showed. Naruto looked fine, but Kakashi could see he was somewhat distracted. Sasuke looked fine as well, however the faint shadows under his eyes told a different story. Worst of all, he had the first shift, so that was going to be an interesting turn of development.

It was the same deal at night, all where in bed early with little to no conversation among them. Sasuke had first watch and Naruto had second. Sakura had the last watch, but she could barely stay awake. By morning she was half asleep and woke everyone up as she went and got food. Down at the stream she decided to wash herself to try and wake up. It worked and she felt fresh and clean after the tiny scrub.

Three hours before sunset, Team 7 and the Merchant family had made it to Otafuku Gai. It was a fairly large village, not as big as Konoha, but large enough. Kakashi decided that they could spend the night in a motel room whilst the Merchants conducted their business.

The Merchant family decided to spend the next two days in Otafuku Gai, in order to make a profit of their wares. During that time, Team 7 had split up. Two of the Genin would train with Kakashi whilst the other watched over the Merchant family. This was the schedule for the two days spent in Otafuku Gai.

XxX

When the two days where up, Team 7 accompanied their charge to Port City. It took them another three days just to get there, and it all went off without a hitch. Saying their farewells to the Merchant Family, Team 7 prepared to leave so that they could return to Konoha. Their first C-Rank accomplished with many more to come.


End file.
